Sketch like a chief designer

“Let’s see how it goes today…” says Škoda Auto’s Head of Design, Oliver Stefani, as he sits down in front of the camera. What follows is his exclusive sketching lesson – not just for beginners. From the very first pencil strokes, it’s clear he’s a true master of his craft.

18. 9. 2025 Škoda World

Even with a demanding schedule, Stefani hasn’t stopped sketching. “I always sketch during lunch breaks. Sometimes just for ten minutes – on paper or a tablet – but I do it regularly to keep training, to get faster and more decisive,” he explains. And he doesn’t sketch just cars. His range is broader: “There’s a challenge called ‘100 Faces’ – so I draw faces, human poses, and the like,” he says. At other times, he mimics the style of famous artists: “I try to understand how they do it – to discover their proportions, perspectives, compositions, and line work.”

This kind of artistic training, he says, is closely tied to his everyday job – designing cars. “We’re dealing with artistic problems too. We’re composing a story through design – and art helps us do that,” Stefani explains. Practice is key. For beginners, he offers several useful tips to get started – or improve. All of them are demonstrated in the video. Watching him prepare was almost magical. The modest designer begins by saying he’s unsure how well it will go. Yet he nails the entire sketch in one seamless take.

Five tips from Oliver Stefani

1. Warm up first
“When you’re about to do sports, you warm up – sketching is no different,” Stefani explains. Start by drawing circles, then ellipses.

2. Loosen up with basic shapes
“This is still part of warming up. I draw boxes in perspective,” he advises. It's important to relax your entire arm while sketching. “The motion comes from the shoulder,” he says – adding that a swivel chair can help.

3. Layout the basic shape of the car
Now it’s time to move on to the car sketch. Begin with a reference line for orientation. Stefani suggests starting with a side view to capture the proportions: “Typically, three wheels fit between the front and rear wheels to establish the wheelbase. Car height is around two and a half wheel diameters – less for sporty cars,” he explains.

4. Add perspective
This is the most difficult step. Stefani begins with a basic box to determine the plane of view. He then ‘dresses’ the shape using broad strokes: “I sketch very roughly – constantly searching for the right shapes with the pencil,” he says.

5. Time for details
Now it’s time to refine the sketch. Use the pencil to add details – but keep it loose, with plenty of lines. Stefani recommends improving the sketch through repetition: “Redraw it, maybe three times. Transparent paper helps with this,” he explains. With each pass, reduce unnecessary lines. Adding colour or shading enhances the final effect.

Explore the full technique and tips in the video.

Challenging but worth it

According to Oliver Stefani, sketching is a never-ending creative journey. “I love it – it’s the moment when we’re most creative. My mind is completely open; it’s the most valuable part of our work,” he says. But it’s also demanding: “It takes a lot of energy. After two hours of intense sketching, I can be totally exhausted.”

Sketching is rewarding, but not easy. In a designer’s workflow, it’s the foundation of communication. “When we try to explain something, we sketch it. It’s more effective than a thousand words,” Stefani says. And constant practice is the only way to stay sharp and keep improving. “I still haven’t spent enough time sketching in my life,” the chief designer admits.

Despite the challenges of professional-level sketching, Stefani’s main advice is simple: enjoy the process. “Try sketching every day – and have fun with it,” he says.